Ignition system for internal combustion engines



Sept. 17,1940. LEFEBVRE 2,215,106

IGNITION SYSTEM ron INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 7 Filed Sept. 16, 1939 I .17 24 17 J9 J8 24 z INVENTOR TTORNEY Patented Sept. 17,1940 a I i i I UNITED} STATES PATENT ornca rcm'rlon SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL j QcoMBUs'rro ENGINES Aide Lefebvre, New York, N. Y., assignor of one.- 1 halt to Philip G. Steindier, New York, N. Y.

- Application September 16, 1939, Serial No. 295,196

7 Claims. (Cl. 123-1465) This invention relates to ignition systems for preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subinternal combustion engines of the type adapted joined claims, and illustrated in the annexed for high speedoperation. drawing, wherein like parts j are designated by One object of the invention is to provide such the same reference characters throughout the an ignition system wherein the sparkin switch several views. I

. shall not be subject to the effects of fatigueor In the drawing: w I h I lagas in the highspeed switches now in use. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic 'crosssectional view I have perceived that when'the-internaiycomof an'internal combustion'engine, with an ignibustionengine is operatedat a' high range 01 tion system accordingito the invention applied 10 speed,;the combustible mixture may'fail'to be thereto. I o

properly ignited in certain cylinders of the usual I Fig. 2 is a fragmentary schematic side view multi-cylinder engine. Thiscondition' is not con'-' of a multi-cylinder engine with the ignition sys finedto a particular cylinder, but would haphaz- I tem applied thereto, generally in accordance with, ardly occur first in one an'd-thenin anoth'erof the-view of Fig. 1. j

the,cylinders.,,- The indications were that there The advantages of the invention as here outwas eitherentire or partial failure of-asuflicient lined are best realized whenall of its features arcacross the spark plug electrodes. These reand instrumentalities' are combined in vone and suits -I traced to the operation of the multi-switch the same structure, but, useful devices may be unit or distributor which controls" the current produced embodying less than the whole.

supply to the diiferent spark plugs. Such unit It will be obvious to those'skilledin the art to I,

provided with a vsinglej-spring contact arm which the invention appertains, that the same. which upon rotation engages successive contacts may be. incorporated in several different construci'or the. diiferent "spark plugs. Uponfurther tions. The accompanyng drawing, therefore, is study, I perceived that this spring contact is sub-f;v submitted merely as showing the preferred exjected to bending'strains at such' high speed and empliiication of the invention. j

,insuch extremely rapid succession as to fail to *Referrlngindetail to the drawing, Iii denotes establish proper engagement withjeach' of its a -device embodying the invention. The same companion contacts, so that the lack of-igni'tionmay include an internal combustion ,engine ii I oruskipping heretofore referred to occ'urs.= that may comprise a plurality of motors, as, for

.. 30, ;The invention therefore aims to'provide-imexample,six or any other desired number. Each y l proved means whereby asparking switchshall motormay have a piston l3, and'a valve means operate at high rapidity, and with the period of 8 Spark P 8 being P o d 4 mits-su'ccessive; operations being nevertheless bustion chamber of any desiredarrangement. greatly reduced. -In other words, in a six 'cyli According to conventional practise, the valve index motor, for example, the switchshall opermeans ,which may represent preferably an 35,

ate only once foreachcomplete cycle ofa'cyl exhaust valve, may have a slide rod l5 engageinder, to thus afford a movable contact or actuable by a c m," 01' B- cam h f n" p n-i ator spring an opportunity for properly returnsion coil spring l9 may tend to move thevalve ing to normal position without" the eifects' of lag m into, sement with its cam l1. Each 40 or fatigue which'heretof'ore resulted. motor will thus have two cams on the cam shaft 40 v I A further object of the invention is-the pro I8, one for the exhaust and one for the inlet vision of a device of the nature set forth having valve, and each of thelseries of *motors I! will few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive have itsindividual cams on" the cam shaft, all

a to manufacture,install, and adjust, and which in accordance with well known practise.'

shall be free of missing or: skippingand avoid The i n t n sys m ac ordi t th inven- 45 backfirewhile, affording maxlmum speed and tion may includeswitches for the individual mopower especially inmotors ofhigh capacity, and tors peach switch operated in response tofa which shall be durable, ,reliable, and eflicientin valve cam of its motor. Thus assuming a six 'cylt e r a inder.engine,xthere will be six switches, all alike,

Qther'objects and advantages of the'invention .3 except that each is timed according to its par-.

will become apparent as the specification pro- 1 ticularcylinder or motor. ceeds. More particularly, the cami l may actuate'a' with the aforesaid bmec tsjm veiw, marten follower rod 20 slidably mounted in a supporting tion consists in the novel combinations and armember or .wall 2i ofthe engine. This follower 68 rangements of partshereinaiter describedin their Il may engage a contact vor switch member 22,- 66

which may be pivotally mounted at 23. At one 1 end, the member 22 may carry an adjustable set screw 24 for engagement with the follower 20. At its other end, an expansion coil spring 25 the other terminal thereof extends a conductor v to the circuit of the fixed contact 21. A source.

of electrical current 31, grounded at 32, feeds current to a transformer and condenser unit 33, schematically shown, and which by a like showing is connected at .34 to the contact 21.

In operation, the spring 25 tends to move the member 22 to close the sparking switch 26,21.

:0 When the cam l1 moves to theposition shown,

it moves the rod 20 toward the right, causing oscillation of the member 22 and opening the switch 26, 21. The break of the branch circuit through the switch" 26, 21 causes a flow of current which produces an arc across the spark plug electrodes. It will be understood that the circuit herein shown'is merely illustrative, and that any well known circuit may be substituted therefor, and that the invention does not depend on the characteristics of any particular circuit. A unit including a sparking switch 26, 21 and transformer and condenser elements therefor as above described isprovided for each of the cylinders of the engine ll, Itwill be perceived that'since the sparking switch isoperated from the cam shaft, no accidental change in timing is possible. By utilizing valvecams I1, the needfor extra cams is dispensed with. Also. the troublesome distributor gear at present in use iseliminated.

If it be desired to advance or retard the spark, a common adjustment for the switches 26, 210i all of the cylinders may include a rod 23 which forms. the, pivot hereinbefore mentioned and .which is provided with a series of rotary eccentrics 35; ,In. other words, each sparking switch may have its own-eccentric. By giving the rod 23 a slightturn in one or in an opposite direction the. members 22 are all bodily moved toward the right or toward the left. Individual adjustment for the sparking switches is aiforded by the set screws 24. 1

It will be readily appreciated that the switch- 26, 21 represents any suitable type capable of rapid operation, and that the switch will be operated only once for each cycle of its motor. Thus if the engine Ii has six cylinders, each switch will be operated only one sixth asmany times as the switch of the distributor now in use. This aifords ample time intervals for the switch to rest and avoid fatigueand lag, with consequent skipping or missing at high speeds. -Hence..still higher motor speeds are available, and uniformly more power and higher motor efiiciency will be obtained because all the fuel in the cylinders will be fired; and-the even. balancing of the motor crank shaft will be maintained to minimize vibration. Nor can any accidental change so af-'- fectthe time of firing as to cause backfire, since the timing is that caused directly by the cam shaft. These advantages are especially striking with very powerful motors of thetypes used in tractors, large trucks and aircraft.v While a singletransformer and condenser unit 'could be used with all of. the sparkingswitches, it is'for certain purposes advantageous to provide a separate such Zthe different cylinders, including individual switches for the diil'erent cylinders, each switch having a-plurality of contacts separate of those -of the other switches, and individual means operated by the, cam shaft for separately actuating the difierent switches, common means for adjusting all the switches to advance or retard the sparking action, and means for individually adlusting the switches to advance or retard the sparking action, said common means including an adjustable shaft, each switch having a switch arm for a contact, and eccentric mounted on the adjustable shaft for moving the individual switch arms upon manually turning the shaft in one or in an opposite direction.

, 2. A device including a mi ilti-cylinder internal combustionengine-comprising a shaft having cams for individually actuating-the exhaust valves of the diflerent cylinders, individual electrical switches for the sparkplugs'otthe differ-- ent cylinders, and means to control said switches comprising; elements for the respective switches individually actuated by the difierent cams, said elements being wholly separate and independent of said valves and constituting followers in direct engagement with the .cams so that said switches are operated at accurately timed'intervals irrespective of any retardation or sticking of the valves. r V r 3. A device including a multi cylinder-internal combustion engine. comprising a shaft having cams for individually actuating the exhaust.

.valves of the different cylinders, individual electrical switches for the spark plugs of the difler'ent being disposed in direct juxtaposition to their corresponding cylinders with thesaid elements extending from the cams directly'to their respeca tive switches at right angles to said shaft.

4. -A device includinga muiti cylinder internal cams for individually actuating the exhaust valves of the different cylinders, individual elecoperate to prevent stalling combustion engine comprising a shafthaving] trical switches for the spark plugs of the different cylinders, and means to' control said. switches comprising elements for the respective switches individually actuated by the different cams, said means also comprising individualsprings for the different switches to oppose said elements; said means being wholly separate. and independent of said valves with said elements constituting followers indirect engagement with the cams for causing accurately timed operation" of the switches' irrespective of the valve response tothe cams, said motor having a' wall for mounting" said switches and said springs, guide means for the said elements carried by said wall, said elements being rods longitudinally slidably carried by the guide means and extending from the cams directly to their respective switches at right angle to said shaft.

5. A device including a multicylinder internal combustion engine comprising a shaft having trical switches for the'spark plugs of the different cylinders, and means to controlisaid' switchescomprising elements for. the respective switches individually actuated by the different cams, said elements being wholly separate and independent of said valves and constituting followersin direct engagement with the cams so that said switches are operated at accurately timed intervals 11",- respective of any retardation .or sticking of the valves, each switch having a swingable arm for opening and closing the switch,-and meansnfor mounting said, arms comprising eccentric means and a common shaft 'for the different arms, said shaft having fixed bearings and being rotatable relative to said arms, and the shaft and eccentric means coacting with each other so that an angular movement of said shaft bodily moves all of said arms to thus advance or retard the timing of all the switches by a single adjusting movement.

elements being wholly separate and independent of said valves and constituting followers in direct engagement withthe cams-so that said switches are operated at accurately timed intervals irrespective or any retardation or sticking of the valves, said switches having a first series of contacts and a second series of contact for opening and closing of the switches, a common shaft for mounting one of said series of switches, fixed bearings for said shaft and eccentrics for said shaft coacting therewithso that a turning movement of the shaift causes a variation in gaps between the contacts for advancing or retarding the timing of the switches.

7. A device including a multi cylinder internal combustion engine having individual switches for the spark plugs of the different cylinders, each switch having a first contactvand a second contact, a lever for the second contact, a spring for each lever tending to move the same in one direction, elements operated by a cam shaftfor the cylinder exhaust, valves for causing individual movement of the levers in an opposite direction, a common shaft for pivotally mounting th different levers, fixed bearings for said shaft, and eccentrics for the shaft cooperating with the lever so that an angular turn of the shaft causes bodily movement ofthe levers relative to the first contacts for advancing or retardingthe timing of all the switches. 

